Evasion of Fate
by x.shooting.star
Summary: No one guessed the double life that Draco and his twin sister Casey lived. Escaping from abuse at home, will they be desperate enough to switch sides? Can Harry and his friends convince them to? Warning: Abuse & Cutting. NOT SLASH!
1. Chapter 1 Meeting

First Fanfic! Be gentle! please read and review!

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Chapter 1

Harry glanced briefly into the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express.

"It's all full…" he sighed wearily, running a hand through his raven black hair. Ron swore violently as he dropped his school trunk with a loud thump.

"What are we gonna do now?" he grumbled loudly in frustration.

Hermione attempted to peer through the semi-transparent curtains behind the compartment door. "I can only see one person inside. Surely we can share?" she replied, frowning slightly. Without waiting for an answer, she knocked sharply and pulled the door back.

The seated girl's head shot up, taking in the scene before her: Hermione looking apologetic, Ron grumbling and swearing under his breath and Harry attempting to flatten his hair. She had platinum blond hair and wide quicksilver eyes that stared at the three breathless teens standing at the doorway. She must've been a transfer student as the three teens were sure they had never seen her before and she was far too tall to be a first year. The same thought was running through the golden trio's mind: she could've been Draco Malfoy's twin sister had they not known that he didn't have any siblings!

Hermione was the first to recover from this startling sight. "Ummm… sorry for disturbing you but all the other compartments are full. Could we please share this one?" The girl's eyes flicked to her face and bushy brown hair. Her eyes narrowed infinitesimally and she scrutinized Harry and Ron closely. Under her intense examination, the three teens began to fidget and suddenly found their shoes very interesting.

Finally, she nodded and with a small timid smile, replied "yes, of course", her voice warm and friendly. The golden trio breathed out in relief that the inspection was over AND they had found a compartment. They collapsed on the seat opposite her, although still slightly wary of her uncanny resemblance to Malfoy.

"I'm Hermione Granger from Gryffindor and I'm in my 6th year," Hermione ventured timidly, shooting glances at Harry and Ron. Harry blurted out "I'm Harry Potter" and Ron mumbled something that sounded vaguely like "Ron Weasley".

"You!" she gasped, her eyes widening in fury and horror. "You're the ones that have been causing us so much pain!" she continued, glaring at the trio. She exhaled loudly and rubbed her temples and turned to stare longingly at the door before turning her icy glare back onto the shocked teens.

Harry wasn't quite sure what to make of this outburst and from the raised eyebrows and looks of confusion on his friends' faces, they had no idea either. Ron turned to look at Hermione, hoping she would have a solution to defuse the tension that was almost palpable in the claustrophobic compartment.

Hermione slowly turned back to face the girl's outraged expression. "Ummm… We don't understand this situation…" she said nervously, her voice tailing off. The teens watched with their breath held as emotions of confusion, fury and uncertainty flitted across her sharp facial features before settling into a cold, expressionless mask.

"Don't you? I guess not though. What would Potty, Weasel and a mudblood know?" she smirked maliciously at the golden trio. All traces of friendliness toward this mysterious girl disappeared at her all too familiar words. Harry and Hermione's mouths dropped open and Ron's face was contorted in outrage.

Ron was the first to react, leaping forwards and whipping his wand out of his robes. "How dare you! _Petrificus-_"

But Ron never got to finish his spell. With a bang, he was flung backwards, smashed into the wall and slid down unconscious into an undignified heap on the ground. Harry and Hermione jumped up and within seconds, had their wands trained on the newcomer, eyes narrowed in hatred.

"Malfoy!" Harry spat out, glaring at the face he'd hated from the very first meeting. Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway, his close-combat stance mirroring Harry's with a wand pointing into Harry's face. A practical thought that he should be helping Ron was pushed to the back of his mind and was replaced by an overwhelming urge to hex his enemy into bits.

But Malfoy's face was not arrogant and haughty as it usually was. Rather, his face was even paler than it usually was and his eyes looked down at the unknown girl in worry. Harry kept his wand steadily aimed at his nemesis's shaking hand. Hermione had no more idea what was going on than Harry and risked a glance at the girl on the floor. The girl gave a curt nod to Malfoy, pulled out her own wand and trained it on Hermione.

Hermione gasped at this new threat and slowly directed her wand away from Malfoy to this new hostile girl. Harry was beyond shocked at this new twist. His mind was frantically weighing up options.

Option one: Fire off a hex and hope that Hermione would be able to react quickly enough to whatever spell this unknown girl would fire her way. Problem: the girl looked as though she was possibly a 6th year and knew advanced enough magic to harm Hermione. The smallness of the compartment also ruled out this option; spells would ricochet crazily off the walls.

Option two: Lower his wand and pray that Malfoy would follow his lead.

After a full minute of frozen tension, Harry made his decision. Although Harry hated this situation, he chose to slowly lower his wand, staring intently into Malfoy's cold eyes for any sign that he was going to take advantage of this. Thankfully, Malfoy also lowered his looking suspicious and the girls followed their lead. Although the situation was still tense, it was nowhere near as bad as it had been a few seconds ago.

"Do NOT. Insult. My. Twin. Potter!" Malfoy spat out venomously, sounding as though he was chewing each word before he released it. It was as though a bomb had gone off in the small compartment. The shock of his words were resounding in Harry's mind. Unluckily, Ron chose this moment to bring himself back to full consciousness. He wiped the blood on his mouth away with the sleeve of his robes and stared with unfocused eyes at the scene in front of him.

"Wazzut? Waz happen'd?" he mumbled weakly. Hermione crouched down next to him and began checking him for any other wounds, grimacing at the blood that dripped steadily out of his mouth.

"Bit me tongue" he explained patiently. While the Hermione inspected Ron, Harry was beside himself, torn between his curiosity and the ever-growing urge to punch Malfoy. Finally, the curiosity won over.

"Explain" Harry demanded Malfoy, his emerald green eyes drilling into silver-gray eyes.

"You honestly haven't figured it out?" The cold yet amused reply came from the unknown girl, moving towards Malfoy. "Well, I guess I can't expect too much of you. Drake has already told me about the amount of riff raff going on around here" she sighed mockingly, looking around the compartment in disgust. "Obviously, I was _lucky_ enough to be home schooled by Father", her emphasis on "lucky" was so strong that Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Casey…" Draco reminded her warningly, placing a hand on her shoulder. So that was her name.

She nodded impatiently at Draco and continued "but Father is simply too busy with work at the Ministry now. What would the minister do without Father? So it would be easier if I simply came to Hogwarts with Drake" she continued in a smug matter-of-fact tone. "But who would've guessed we would have to put up with such company so early in the year?" she sighed again, angering Harry further.

Just as Harry was about to retort sharply, the Hogwarts Express began slowing down as it approached the platform. With a shuddering jolt, it came to a halt and there was a flurry of activity from adjoining compartments as everyone pushed and shoved, trying to squeeze their way out onto the platform.

With one last glare at the Malfoys, Harry and his friends jumped out onto the platform and slowly made their way in the carriages to Hogwarts.

"Honestly! They way they behave! Like they're above everyone else!" Hermione was ranting angrily. Everyone knew how she reacted to derogatory terms such as _mudblood_. Ron still had his sleeve over his mouth and was silently agreeing with Hermione. They did not realise that Harry was no longer a part of this conversation and that he was thinking along a totally different path.

Harry's mind was in overdrive as he attempted to piece together all the information he had gathered from the brief meeting with the Malfoys. Something was not quite right. Why had Draco kept his twin's existence a secret when it was obvious they were very close? Maybe Lucius only wanted a male heir he decided. And then there was that emphasis on "lucky". He thought back to those moments.

"_Obviously, I was lucky enough to be home schooled by Father"_ she had said almost sarcastically. And then there was the warning from Draco, as if reminding her not to say anything more.

The welcoming feast passed quickly and they found out that her real name was Casey-Ann and she was indeed Draco's twin and also a 6th year Slytherin.

"Bloody hell! One Malfoy's bad enough! Now we'll have to deal with two!" Ron swore angrily, stabbing his potato with a fork. Harry nodded vaguely but his thoughts were still a thousand miles away, on the event in the compartment. It was all too confusing and Hermione and Ron didn't seem to be in any mood to help him figure this out. He sighed, decided that it was probably nothing and that he was just paranoid. And yet, the thought that Casey and Draco were not happy would not leave him alone.

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Please read and review! (even if you think it's crap) :D

Thanks


	2. Chapter 2 A Shocking Incident

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Author's Note: Just a repost with minor changes. Nothing much.

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Chapter 2

After the welcoming feast, Harry lay on his back, staring at the top of his four poster bed. He could hear Ron snoring loudly in the next bed and Dean muttering something about Quidditch in his sleep. It was now past 1 in the morning and for some reason, he could not fall asleep. He grumbled and turned onto his side, hoping sleep would quickly overtake him as he had Double Potions in the morning with his most hated professor Snape.

After a few more futile attempts, he got up, opened his trunk and took out his invisibility cloak and the Marauders map. _Well, if I can't sleep, I might as well go for a stroll_ he thought. Opening the map to check that the coast was clear, he frowned at a black dot in the Great Hall labelled Lucius Malfoy. The dot then moved out of the hall and headed in the direction of the Slytherin common-rooms.

Intrigued, Harry sat staring avidly at the map, all thoughts of going to sleep forgotten. He watched as dots labelled Draco and Casey moved towards Lucius. After a few moments of stillness, the trio headed down into a corridor deep in the dungeons that nobody ventured in anymore.

Harry immediately left his dormitory under the cloak and clutching the map. The Fat Lady snorted in her sleep but did not wake up as he climbed out the portrait-hole. Slowly and quietly, he made his way down to the dungeons, his curiosity burning inside him. He paused to check his map again and realised they were in an old abandoned classroom at the end of the corridor. He almost broke into a run, going as fast as he possibly could without making too much noise.

_Cracckk!_ Harry jumped in shock as a loud crack came from the classroom next to him. Luckily, the door was open and he peered in warily.

The scene in front of him was shockingly horrific and Harry had to put a fist in his mouth to stop him from screaming. His eyes widened in shock and he found himself desperately trying to deny what was happening in front of him. Casey was on the floor, her robes bloodied and shredded. Her face was contorted in extreme agony and tears were flowing freely from her grey eyes. Lucius towered over her, gripping his wand tightly in his hands.

"You will take it whether you like it or not!" he thundered at the young girl cowering pitifully beneath him. Casey choked back a threatening sob and slowly shook her head. "noo…" she whispered, her eyes wide and pleading. Lucius's eyes narrowed and he raised his wand again. Casey cringed back in fear, slowly shaking her head from side to side. "Please father! I can't do this!" she begged, sobbing hysterically.

Lucius took a deliberate step forward and his face twisted with a sadistic smile as he watched Casey gasp and shrink away even further. She braced herself for the imminent pain, yet, never once took eye contact off Lucius.

_Cracckk!_ Lucius performed a violent slashing movement with his wand, followed by a resounding crack.

Another tear in her robes.

Another gash upon her helpless form.

Another puddle of blood that splattered on the floor.

Another scream which choked off into a sob at the end.

Her body arched from the torturous pain and she collapsed back, lifeless on the unforgiving stone floor.

"Unconscious already? We both know that you can take _much_ more than that. _Enervate_!" Lucius cried in mock surprise.

Casey groaned and weakly gazed with blurry eyes at the beast which was her father. She had not known that this would be coming so early in the year. She wasn't ready to take _it_. She didn't want_ it_! Her heart wrenched painfully as she recalled the little resistance that Draco had put up when their father had asked him. He had agreed… so willingly! The mere thought that Draco had perhaps given up on resisting made her heart clench. She sobbed out loud again at the hellish future that was surely in the path of her twin.

"Well, Casey? No response? Perhaps you need more convincing?" Lucius drawled out, utterly confident that he was going to get what he wanted. He raised his wand to his mouth and lightly sucked on the tip of it in anticipation.

In one swift, well-practiced movement, he pointed the wand at Casey and cried "_Crucio!_" The helpless girl on the floor writhed and shrieked in agony as white hot knives were stabbing every inch of her while Lucius was laughing maniacally at the pain of his own daughter. After a few seconds, he broke off the spell and watched coolly as his own daughter panted heavily, gasping for air.

Harry felt like he was going to be sick. He had known something was amiss, but not this badly. He turned towards the door again, wanting nothing more than to flee the reality of what was happening. The scene he witnessed was dreadful. _No child should have to suffer from such pain! Especially not from their own parent_ he thought. Just as he was about to run to Dumbledore's office, another voice spoke up behind him. He spun around and stared in shock as Draco walked timidly towards his father.

"Please father! Don't do this to her!" he begged, eyes also dripping with tears from watching his twin suffer so. Never had Harry seen Draco look so unguarded. His normally cold and emotionless eyes were stormy and wild. He looked utterly desperate and helpless.

"What is this Draco? Have you changed your mind? Perhaps you need a taste of this as well?" Lucius said slowly, glaring into the eyes of his son. Draco flinched under the intense gaze and replied meekly "no… Father"

"Well then, let us continue. Since you are close to joining us, I was thinking that you should begin to practice your Unforgivables. The Dark Lord demands a high level of skill and you, as the Malfoy heir should be his right-hand man. This is the perfect time to practice; a wand, some privacy and a volunteer" Lucius replied curtly, gesturing to Draco to pull out his wand.

Draco's eyes widened in horror. This was not what he had in mind. He would not, _could_ not possibly perform the Cruciatus curse on _his twin_! Casey was the only one that had ever stood up for him and had been his trustworthy confidant for his whole childhood. To perform such an act would be the worst betrayal of trust. But what choice did he have? His stomach heaving and sweating profusely, he hesitantly pulled out his wand and pointed it at the girl on the floor.

Casey gasped as the wand was slowly pointed towards her. _No. No. No! _her mind screamed. This was not right. There was NO way that Draco would subject her to this. "no…" she whispered, directing her teary gaze at Draco.

Draco's face twisted in pain as he watched his helpless victim beg for his mercy. It had never meant to be this way. It should've been them together, begging for Father's mercy. Simply looking at his twin made his gut clench painfully. Yet, he steeled himself and whispered the words that he was forced to utter.

"_Crucio_"

Casey writhed on the floor, this time, under the curse from her own twin. Her mind reeled in betrayal and screamed out her agony and sobbed out her heart. But the majority of the pain came from the knowledge that it was Draco pointing the wand at her, sending the curse, subjecting her to this torture. Never would she have believed that Draco would one day do this to her. Darkness was clouding at the edges of her sight and she blacked out for the 2nd time that night.

Harry could watch no more. He spun around and sprinted as quickly as he could to the stone gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office. It occurred to him that he did not know the password into the Headmaster's office. "ummm…" he mumbled, looking hopefully at the gargoyle. It didn't move. "Lemon drop?" he asked timidly, knowing that it was the password 4 years ago. "No? well… um… Sugar Quills?" he tried again. After several failed attempts, he began to shout at the ugly face of the gargoyle. "PLEASE! I need to see Professor Dumbledore… NOW!" he yelled in frustration. When it continued to stay still, he lost his temper. Raging, he kicked the statue with all the strength he could muster. However, this did hardly anything to reduce his anger and merely left him with a very sore toe.

"Potter!" spat a voice behind him. Harry spun around and found himself looking into the furious face of Professor Snape. Before he could react, Snape continued "50 points from Gryffindor! Just because you are the Chosen One does not mean you have the right to wander the corridors after dark!"

Without taking any notice of Snape's words, Harry yelled "Sir! I need to see Professor Dumbledore right not! It's urgent! Casey, Draco…. Lucius! She's dying! In the dungeons sir! Please!"

"What are you rambling about, Potter?" Snape replied in his most silky, dangerous voice. It was obvious that Snape had not believed a word Harry had uttered. Fighting his fury, Harry took a few deep breaths and tried again.

Just as he was about to explain again, Professor Dumbledore appeared behind him, looking calm and composed. Before Snape could even respond to this new development, Harry sidestepped in front of him and began. "Professor Dumbledore! Casey and Draco are in the dungeons! Lucius is hurting them! Please, sir!" he blurted out, not caring how ridiculous he sounded.

Dumbledore frowned but seemed to believe him. "Lead the way" he commanded, sweeping his robes around. Harry exhaled loudly in relief "thank you, sir!" He broke into a run, retracing his steps to the dungeon. He could barely hear Snape and Dumbledore's purposeful footsteps over his pounding heart. _Please let them be alive. Please let them live!_ He thought desperately. Although Draco had been his nemesis over the past years at Hogwarts, he could not bear the thought of him nor his twin being tortured so cruelly.

The dark, stone corridors echoed loudly with the footsteps of the trio. _Surely Lucius would hear. Maybe he would stop to run away!_ Harry found himself thinking hopefully. As he approached the classroom again, he found the door closed, but unlocked. In one swift movement, he threw open the door with a bang and the awaiting sight made his mouth drop open.

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Oooooooh... cliffie! Please review! (as always)


	3. Chapter 3 Numb

New update! Hope you enjoy :D

(btw, if you have any ideas/suggestions for the story, please tell me. I'm open to ideas)

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Chapter 3

It was as though nothing had happened. Draco and Casey were seated at an old wooden desk, holding a glass of what appeared to be Firewhisky. They looked up at the intruders that were gatecrashing on what appeared to be their little "party".

Harry was frozen in shock. He could have sworn that for the past 15 minutes at least, Casey was in extreme agony at the hands of Lucius. Yet, he could no longer find any scar or trace of the brutal treatment she had received. Not a hair on their heads was tussled nor their robes even mussed. _How could this have happened?_ He thought, racking his brains for a solution which excluded his being insane. Slowly, he turned to face the furious glare on Snape's disgusted expression.

"Well, Potter? What's this business about Lucius and _dying_?!" Snape spat in his face. He continued viciously "like father, like son. Never trust the word of a Potter. Nothing but _lies_!" Harry bit back a sharp retort, knowing it would do him no good.

"_Severus_!" Dumbledore placed a hand on Snape's shoulder in an attempt to placate the agitated man. "Calm down!" he commanded the Potions Master.

Looking mutinous, Snape nodded and turned away from Harry to face the twins, who were standing up now and trying to follow the confusing conversation. "Mr and Miss Malfoy! As you well know, Firewhisky is a banned substance. I will see you for detention on Friday 7pm. Get back to your dorms now!" he ordered before sweeping out the room. The twins raised their chins and smirked at Harry in sync before following their Head Teacher out.

Harry felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He was in trouble now; not only did he wake up the headmaster in the middle of the night but was found wandering the corridors for no apparent reason. He fidgeted nervously before deciding to get his side of the story in before the headmaster could make any assumptions.

"Umm… Professor Dumbledore? I really wasn't lying about before. I don't know what happened but 10 minutes ago, I can _swear_ that Lucius was punishing Casey in here. Please Professor, I'm not lying!" he cried earnestly.

Dumbledore peered down at Harry through his glasses. "I… believe you, for now. But Harry, remember that you can trust your friends when you are in need of any help" he replied, looking Harry straight in the eye. Once again, Harry felt the tingling sensation of being x-rayed as the startling blue eyes pierced his emerald ones. His eyes dropped to the floor as a reflex action. _Did Dumbledore know what Harry thought had happened here?_ Could Harry tell him? _No_, he decided, _I have no evidence to prove what I saw_. Swallowing heavily, Harry nodded his head and murmured "thank you, Sir"

Dumbledore straightened up and surveyed the room. "Well, now that we've sorted that out, I believe you should return to your dorms as well. I do not want to hear of any more midnight wandering." With that, he too swept out of the room, his robes billowing behind him dramatically, leaving Harry standing alone in the middle of the classroom.

After a few more moments, he walked out of the dungeons and trudged up to his common-room. He groaned as he noticed the time. It was past 2AM. Lying back down on bed, he fell asleep right away, his thoughts whirling with images of the hopeless expression on Casey's face.

The next morning, Harry found himself being shaken roughly by a flustered Ron. He woke up, startled and stared into Ron's wide eyes.

"Harry! Finally! I've been trying to get your attention for ages! We're late to double potions! You better get your stuff ready now!" Ron cried, running around the room trying to cram textbooks into his bag. Harry shot up into a sitting position, quickly dressed himself and followed Ron in his mad bolt to the dungeons. All thoughts of the odd scene yesterday were put out of mind until they entered the classroom.

"Potter and Weasley! 10 minutes late! 20 points off Gryffindor!" Snape spat as a way of greeting. They rushed to their seats only to have Hermione tutting at them as they desperately tried to catch their breath back. As they followed the complex instructions on brewing a Cheering Potion, Harry overheard the whispered conversation of the table behind theirs.

"_No,_ Draco! You can't take it! You're not ready for this! Don't lie to me. Do you really want to grow up and act like that? You will be a slave to the Dark Lord! Is this what you want??" Casey growled in an undertone. Sometimes, she couldn't believe how thick Draco was acting.

"Casey! You don't understand! There IS no other way out! Either I do this or I die! It's that simple!" Draco whispered back furiously. "Can't you just give in and stop resisting? It's only going to cause us more pain, you know." He continued, staring into her grey eyes, trying to make her to understand the situation.

Casey shook her head defiantly. "It's not like that! Draco, you _have _to stop trying to gain Lucius's approval. It won't get you anywhere. Please, just don't go to Hogsmeade and stay here with me!" she begged desperately. She didn't want Draco to turn into a monster, a beast, like their father.

"Look, I'm not as brave as you, Casey. I can't stand up to him. I _need_ to go to Hogsmeade but I can tell him that I've changed my mind, okay?" Draco attempted to compromise. He hated arguing with his twin and that snarky remark about trying to gain Lucius's approval had cut deeply. He didn't want to admit it but he WAS trying to please his father every time he studied for a test or played a game of Quidditch. This was no different.

"All right then" Casey gave in. She knew how stubborn Draco could be and that this was the best offer she was going to get. She hugged Draco and whispered in his ear "thank you". Neither had any idea how much Harry had overheard and his guesses which were so close to the mark.

"_Harry_!" cried Hermione, grabbing his wrist. Lost in the whispered conversation, Harry jumped up in shock and nicked his palm with the knife. He swore under his breath and quickly pulled out his wand and healed the small wound.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Harry! I just wanted to tell you that your cauldron is boiling and that you should add the salamander eggs now!" Hermione whispered, trying not to attract Snape's attention.

"Right, thanks Hermione" grumbled Harry. He wasn't concentrating on his potion but rather the whispered conversation held between the Malfoys. It had not clarified anything and had thickened the mystery immensely. Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and decided he would not follow the advice that Dumbledore had given him until he had more information to go by. In any case, he would most certainly be following the Malfoys on their upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.

He walked in a daze to lunch. He was not aware of the meaningful looks shared between Hermione and Ron. It wasn't until he was seated at the table that Hermione pressed the matter.

"Harry? Are you all right?" Hermione asked worriedly. Her face was drawn with concern as she looked anxiously into his green eyes.

"Hmm? Oh yea, I'm fine" he replied distantly, his thoughts still on other topics. With a sudden jolt, he remembered that he had forgotten his transfiguration textbook for the next lesson. "Oh crap. I gotta get my Transfiguration book. I left it in the common-room. I'll meet you in class" he mumbled, grabbing his bag and walking rather quickly out of the great hall. Hermione and Ron exchanged one last worried look.

As Harry walked towards Gryffindor tower, he passed by the abandoned girls bathroom. He thought he heard a sob inside. His curiosity getting the better of him, he took a quick glance around to make sure that no one was around to reprimand him for entering a girls bathroom and walked in cautiously, not willing to make his presence known yet. Walking around to the far end of the cubicles from where the sobs were coming, he peeked around the door.

His green eyes widened with shock. Draco was kneeling on the floor with his head buried in his hands and shoulders shaking uncontrollably as gasping sobs tore out of him. His platinum blond hair was mussed up and his eyes were red and blotchy. Harry stared in silence; Malfoys did not cry, and especially not Draco. His face was twisted with anguish as tears ran down his face. Harry's heart reached out to the sobbing boy on the floor but could not help remembering all the times when his rival had made him feel like this. He decided to continue watching before revealing himself.

After a few more heaving breaths, Draco released what looked like a crumpled letter out of his clenched hands and took pushed his hand into his robes, bringing out something small that fit in the palm of his hand. Harry leaned over as he tried to see what Draco had taken out. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw the dark sinister outline of a silver blade in Draco's hands. He wanted to move his feet so badly but was frozen in shock horror.

Draco carefully rolled back his sleeve past his elbow and pulled his wand out. He muttered something under his breath, waved his wand over his arm and removed a glamour. Harry was jolted sharply again. Draco's _entire_ arm was covered in scars and lacerations, some deeper than others. Slowly, in an obviously well practiced movement, he brought the blade to his arm. Breathing deeply through his nose, he pressed on the blade and slashed deeply.

Draco savoured the pain coursing through him. It let it drown out all other thoughts and gave him a feeling of having just a little control over the miserable life he lived. Breathing deeply again, he brought the blade to his arm and slashed again, creating an identical, parallel line.

He sighed in relief and allowed his heavy burden to just float out the door for a few seconds. He felt totally numb and there was no other pain than the ones he self-inflicted. He loved these moments where he didn't have to think of his twin, his Father or the Dark Lord. Everything was peaceful and he was in control.

After slashing into his arm for the last time, he pulled out his wand and cleaned up the blood on the dagger and floor before healing his cuts. He ran his fingers lightly across the three new scars and felt remarkably calmer. This was the other reason he did it. It never failed to calm him and prepare him for the icy façade he would wear from the moment he finished cutting.

He walked out of the cubicle without looking back, dusting his finely tailored robes. Harry only just had time to throw himself into the adjoining cubicle before Draco strode past and out the door, fully composed, chin raised and cold expression back in his unreadable gray eyes.

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Plz read and review! thanks =]


	4. Chapter 4 Storm Clouds Gather

I wasn't actually planning on continuing this story since i thought no one was actually reading it..... but thanks to ..death, who very skilfully coerced me into posting more chapters, here's chapter 4! I probs should also mention that updates will come very very slowly for the next two weeks.... you know, yearlies and all that crap (in Aus) In the meanwhile, enjoy! (and review)

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Chapter 4

Harry took a few deep breaths to steady himself and come to terms with the scene he had just witnessed. _Why?_ He asked himself. _Why would anyone do that to themselves? Especially the rich, pampered Slytherin prince._ He just could not understand. A little voice at the back of his mind reminded him of the traumatic night before.

Once he was breathing and functioning properly again, he took one last look into the cubicle that Malfoy had used. Just as he was about to tear off to find Dumbledore again, his sharp eye spotted the crumpled letter Malfoy had left behind. Curiosity overcame him again and he picked it up and carefully pried it open.

The letter was blotchy and some of the ink had smudged, no doubt from the tears streaming from Draco's eyes. It was quite a short letter, just a few lines and yet had quite clearly made a strong impression upon Draco. Eyes wide with interest, Harry began to read.

_Draco,_

_I am pleased to inform you that the Dark Lord is ready to accept you amongst his ranks. You will meet me behind the 3 Broomsticks on Saturday, 14th of September at 12pm. We shall return to the Manor where the Dark Lord shall perform the initiation ceremony. Pack all of your things and bring them along. You will NOT be returning to Hogwarts. Be dressed appropriately, do not be late and DO NOT bring anyone with you. This includes Casey. _

_Unfortunately, the Dark Lord is not yet ready to accept Casey. She has proved that she is not yet loyal to the Dark Lord and must be first broken. She is to remain at Hogwarts and await further instruction. _

_Lucius Malfoy_

Harry re-read the letter at least 5 times before the message fully sank in. Draco was taking the mark. He would not be returning to Hogwarts. He was leaving his twin behind. He was sealing his fate as a Death Eater.

Harry's breathing quickened as he realised that Draco had not wanted any of these things, especially leaving Casey. _Perhaps Casey would be able to prevent Draco becoming a Death Eater_ Harry thought hopefully. But that bright thought disappeared as he remembered that the twins would not be safe from Lucius at Hogwarts even if they were to defy their father.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he sensed the footsteps coming towards him far too late. As soon as he realised his mistake, he spun around, trying to pull out his wand. He found himself staring at the end of Draco's wand.

Draco's face was contorted in fury as he noticed the letter that Harry was holding. _How dare he! It's none of his business, the interfering brat!_ He thought angrily. Forcing himself to calm down and act normal, he quickly composed his face and turned back to Harry, presenting him with a arrogant sneer.

"Give that back to me. Now." Draco ordered, his heart pounding inside him. His wand hand was shaking slightly as he trembled visibly at the thought that Potter might know his innermost secret.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you don't want this? We can help you, you know. You don't have to do this" Harry said softly, sympathetic towards the blond.

"What would you know, Potter? This is what I want! This is all that I've wanted in my life!" he spat. However, his insides were coiling and twisting. What if Harry did know the truth? What if Harry had seen him just then in the cubicle? His breathing quickened and his heart raced as he thought of the horrific consequences he would face if his Father found out about this.

"Really?" Harry whispered. Draco froze in his tracks by the unexpected comment. "You will be a slave to the Dark Lord! Is this what you want?? Draco, you _have _to stop trying to gain Lucius's approval. It won't get you anywhere." Harry threw Casey's words back at Draco, knowing he will get a stronger reaction.

Draco's mouth dropped open as Casey's words came back to him. His mind was reeling in shock as he slowly realised that Harry knew _everything_. About his predicament. About his opinion. And worst of all, _about his Father_. He couldn't cope with the humiliation this would bring. He had to stop Harry from telling everyone. And he only knew of one way to do that.

He steadied his wand, took a deep breath and said clearly "_Oblivi– "_

"_Expelliarmus!"_ came a voice from the doorway. Draco's wand flew in a graceful arc and landed flat in Casey's palm.

Two pairs of shocked eyes turned to face the blonde girl standing in the entrance of the toilet. Her eyes blazed in fury at the sight of Draco directing a permanent curse at Harry. An overwhelming feeling of betrayal weighed down on Draco's heart, dragging him down to his knees. He was in trouble big time. He had just attempted to permanently wipe the memory of the golden boy. He rested his head in his hands, blinking furiously, trying to dispel the embarrassing tears that had gathered in his gray eyes.

"_Casey?_ What are you doing here? Why did you stop me?" Draco whispered brokenly. Casey had _always_ trusted his judgement. Tears began to drip from his stormy eyes. He couldn't bear this any longer. In a desperate move, he jumped up and fled out the door without waiting for a reply, sobbing loudly.

Casey spun around and lunged after him, worried for his emotional wellbeing.

"Casey! Wait! I need to give you something" Harry called out.

She stopped in her tracks and groaned in frustration. Couldn't Harry see that Draco was hurt badly? She turned around, resigned and impatient. "_What_?!" she snapped, eyes flashing, angrier at Harry than ever.

"Casey! Here, take it" he thrust the letter into Casey's hands. "I think you should know about this"

The blonde frowned and carefully unfolded the scrunched up letter. As she began reading, her eyes widened in horror and her mouth dropped open. Her head whipped up and she stared into Harry eyes. He fidgeted, suddenly reminded of the day he met her and the intense examination she had given him.

"I. Drake. No way. You know…?" she whispered, shocked and unable to form a coherent sentence. No wonder Draco had reacted the way he had. She would've too.

As if reading her thoughts, Harry backed away pulling out his wand warily.

"It's not like that!" he protested. "I just wanted to help him. I saw his… wrists" he trailed off, remembering the awful minutes when Draco slashed at himself. He looked so vulnerable and hopeless. Bringing himself back to the present, he looked into Casey's eyes, hoping to see understanding and not hostility.

However, Casey had neither. She had an oddly pained look on her face and a lone tear trekked down her cheeks. Without saying a word, she spun around again and sprinted after Draco, leaving Harry standing in the middle of the girls' bathroom, shocked.

After taking a few deep breaths, Harry pushed himself forward and began trudging up to Gryffindor tower. He glanced at the time and was startled to discover that he had completely missed his transfiguration lesson. This thought took the back-seat in his mind as he was worried about Draco and what he might do to himself this time. Suddenly changing his mind, he charged up the stairs and burst into the common-room.

Ron jumped startled and knocked over his inkpot, staining his new transfiguration essay as Crookshanks hissed and leapt off Hermione's lap. "Sorry!" Harry yelled as he shoved a group of first-years out of his way. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached his dormitory and immediately headed to his trunk. Throwing the lid open, he dug around furiously until he felt the cool silky material of his father's cloak and the stiff parchment of the Marauder's Map.

Tearing back out of the common-room, he threw the cloak over himself and took out the map. He scanned his eyes frantically over it several times, trying to find Draco Malfoy. Finally, he located Draco and his twin on the Astronomy tower. A heavy sense of foreboding suddenly overcame him, like a sixth sense. He pushed that feeling out of the way and ran up to the tower.

Panting with exertion, Harry quietly pushed open the doors to the top of the tower. He gasped at the sight of Draco sitting on the railing with his legs hanging over the edge, positioned as though he was about to jump off the tower. The black clouds gathered behind him in the sky, giving off an ominous atmosphere. Harry's body instantly tensed and his heart stopped for a moment, hoping, _willing_ Draco to move back onto safer ground. Although the blond's face was peaceful, tears leaked out of the corners of his closed eyes. He was so focused on Draco's precarious situation that he had not noticed Casey kneeling on the floor two metres away from Draco.

"Draco, _please_! Don't do this to yourself… to me… _please_…" Casey begged on her knees. Her stance was one of a desperate dying person's. Her tears ran down her face, culminating in a soggy puddle on the stone floor.

"You don't learn do you Casey? There ARE only two options! Join, or die…" Draco hissed the last word.

"Drake…" Casey hesitated awkwardly, knowing well that one misplaced word could end Draco's life. Thus, she chose her next words carefully and spoke with steel confidence even though she was jelly on the inside. "We've been through this before. We can just ask to join the other side. We would never have to live with Lucius again. And we would be together. No matter what." Her voice shook slightly again as she considered what would happen if he refused.

For a few moments, everything was silent, even the birds had stopped cawing. The storm clouds gave a threatening rumble of thunder. Draco took a deep breath while the two witnesses held their breath and visibly tensed. "Fine. Fine, we'll go. But if they refuse us, _promise_ me you won't stop me" Draco turned to look at Casey, his jaw set with determined stubbornness.

Casey's face lit up in hopeful delight and suddenly, the image of the dying girl disappeared. "_I promise_" Casey whispered. She got off the floor and held her arms out and waited expectantly.

Without hesitation, Draco took two large steps forward and flung himself into her arms.

Within seconds, the heavens opened and rain poured down, drenching the relieved siblings, locked in their close embrace.

* * *

Please please please please review! They inspire me to write! Accio reviews!


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